Lake Canoe Program Recent Changes

The following items have been updated in the Paddle Canada Lake Canoe Program.

January 2026

General Program Updates

• Added canoe games.
• Adjusted descriptions for some canoe strokes.
• Lake Canoe Skills checklists (basic to advanced) have been added.
• Added environmental impact.
• Updated history and resource information.

Lake Canoe Waterfront

• Environmental condition: Location is now 50 metres from shore and 100 metres of beachfront.
• Participant assessment: There is no evaluation on performance at this level.
• Suggested canoe games listed for most skills and manoeuvre and the knowledge items.

Lake Canoe Basic

• No changes to the program this year.

Lake Canoe Introduction Tandem

• Changed: Using the word “check” as a term to stop the canoe from moving rather than the name of a stroke.
• Option for the Pry stroke at this level was added.
• Changing positions: priority listing as to where it can be done. 1. On shore, 2. Raft up, 3. On the water.
• Changing positions: options on how it is done, based on participants comfort: “over” the partner or “beside” their partner.
• Removal of “catch, power and recovery phase” at this level and Newton’s Third Law.

Lake Canoe Intermediate Tandem

• Added: Concepts: Newton’s Third Law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction, onside and offside, and inside and outside turns and circles.
• Reduced the required knots knowledge to two: Bowline and Trucker’s Hitch.
• Added: optional stirrup re-entry straps.
• Removed: tarp setup.

Lake Canoe Advanced Tandem

• Skills and manoeuvres: added “completing manoeuvres within corridor limits would be done without wind and waves”.
• Added: Low Brace with Righting Pry.
• If wind and waves are not present during the course, participants should have a general understanding of wind and wave dynamics.

Lake Canoe Introduction Solo

• Lifting a canoe solo is optional at this level.

Lake Canoe Intermediate Solo

• Removing the Silent and Canadian strokes.
• Adding Low Brace and Righting Pry strokes.
• Added optional stirrup re-entry straps.

Lake Canoe Advanced Solo

• Removal of Low Brace with Righting Pry strokes.
• Adding Canadian and Silent strokes.